Direct Lending Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:30am-5:30pm, 40 hours/week
Candidates must live within a reasonable commuting distance of the communities served by Travis Credit Union, which include the following counties: Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Merced, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo. For hybrid and remote roles, candidates are still required to reside within a commutable distance of our corporate headquarters in Vacaville, California.

We are unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas for this position. Candidates must have current authorization to work in the U.S. (no sponsorship available).

Summary: Travis Credit Union's (TCU) Direct Lending Management team oversees the lifecycle of direct consumer lending, from loan origination through post-funding servicing. This includes key operational areas such as Loan Processing, Centralized Funding, Vehicle Servicing, Insurance Services, and Green Lending.

The team is responsible for delivering efficient, high-quality lending services while driving operational excellence, process improvement, regulatory compliance, and strategic initiatives. Through effective leadership, performance management, and cross-functional collaboration, Direct Lending Management supports organizational goals, enhances the member experience, and promotes sustainable business growth.

Committed to developing high-performing teams and fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and member focus, the department plays a key role in advancing TCU's mission of helping members achieve financial well-being.

Profile:

• Leads, trains, evaluates, coaches, professionally develop and motivate staff to attain department goals. Sets and monitors performance goals. Promotes a work environment that encourages involvement, initiative and teamwork. Builds career development paths for assigned staff.
• Oversees the Consumer Direct Lending program, ensuring operational excellence and the delivery of consistent, scalable, high-quality results that support organizational objectives and an exceptional member experience.
• Drives business performance through strategic planning, market insight, financial acumen, and operational expertise. Collaborates on cross-functional initiatives, identifies inefficiencies, and implements scalable solutions that enhance operational performance and drive measurable business outcomes and member satisfaction.
• Leads continuous improvement efforts by analyzing workflows, identifying process gaps and inefficiencies, and implementing sustainable, scalable solutions. Applies business analysis, problem-solving methodologies, project management principles, ROI evaluation, cost-benefit analysis, and industry best practices to achieve measurable operational improvements.

• Manages and executes operational projects and initiatives that meet or exceed established performance objectives. Collaborates cross-functionally to align resources, resolve business challenges, and successfully implement organizational priorities.

• Promotes a strong risk management and compliance culture by ensuring adherence to internal policies and all applicable state and federal regulations. Mitigates operational, vendor, regulatory, and compliance risks through effective oversight, risk assessments, audit collaboration, policy enforcement, and the maintenance of accurate and accessible documentation.
• Oversees departmental financial responsibilities, including budget-related activities, general ledger account reconciliation, vendor invoice review and approval, and ensuring accurate and timely financial processing.
• Develops and maintains strategic business partnerships with members, dealers, merchants, contractors, vendors, insurance companies, and third-party partners. Strengthen relationships through proactive engagement, identify growth opportunities, enhance service delivery, and support increased business volume.
• Leads communication and organizational alignment efforts by facilitating meetings, presenting operational updates, and communicating strategic initiatives, process changes, and organizational priorities. Serves as a liaison between departments and leadership to ensure transparency, collaboration, and successful implementation of change.

Not all functions/tasks are listed above; however, those listed are considered essential.

Skills:

• Demonstrated leadership ability with a proven track record of coaching, developing, motivating, and managing employees to achieve individual and departmental goals. Strong performance management and employee development skills, including goal setting, career development planning, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Extensive knowledge of consumer lending products, direct lending programs, policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Strong understanding of financial institution products, services, operations, and member service standards.
• Excellent business acumen with the ability to analyze operational performance, identify opportunities, and support strategic business objectives.
• Skilled in business process analysis, continuous improvement methodologies, and implementing operational efficiencies that improve productivity, service quality, and cost effectiveness.
• Proven project management skills with the ability to plan, prioritize, execute, and oversee multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, including conducting cost-benefit analyses, evaluating operational performance, and implementing practical solutions.
• Knowledge of risk management principles, compliance requirements, internal controls, and audit processes within a financial services environment.
• Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate operational, regulatory, vendor, and compliance risks.
• Exceptional verbal, written, presentation, and facilitation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build collaborative relationships and effectively partner with members, vendors, dealers, merchants, contractors, and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to effectively manage competing priorities, adapt to changing business needs, and perform successfully in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, make informed decisions, and achieve results under pressure while meeting established deadlines.
• Skilled in conflict resolution, negotiation, and navigating complex or sensitive situations with professionalism, diplomacy, and tact.
• Experience leading organizational change and driving employee engagement through effective communication and change management practices.
• Strong financial management skills, including budget oversight, general ledger reconciliation, invoice review and approval, and financial reporting.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, as well as database reporting tools, core banking platforms, and loan origination systems (LOS).
• Ability to analyze data, interpret trends, develop meaningful performance metrics, and utilize reporting tools to support operational and strategic decision-making.
• Strong organizational skills with a high level of attention to detail, accuracy, and accountability.

Reporting and Experience:

• Reports directly to assigned department management.
• Direct supervisory responsibilities for assigned department staff.
• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years of consumer loan experience or equivalent.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory or leadership experience.
• Minimum 2 years working in a production or goal-oriented environment.
• Experience collaborating with internal business partners and external vendors to support initiatives, process improvements, and operational objectives.
• Experience managing departmental financial responsibilities, general ledger reconciliation by balancing enrolled loans with the state and financial reporting.

Working Conditions: Work is generally performed within an office environment, with standard office equipment available and usually sedentary in nature.

Understands the requirements of the BankSecrecy Act and ensures compliance through monitoring and reporting of member activity as appropriate.

Compensation:Base salary starting range is commensurate with experience:

• Grade 16: $90,084.80/annually - $111,280.00/annually

Our compensation philosophy is based on several factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.

Benefits:
At Travis Credit Union, we prioritize the wellbeing of our employees and their families by providing a comprehensive Total Rewards program that supports their health, welfare, and financial security. In turn, this enables our employees to focus on delivering exceptional service to our members and meeting the goals of the credit union.

Eligible employees enjoy a robust benefits package, which includes:

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Mental health and wellness programs
• Employee performance incentive plan
• Merit-based salary increases
• 401(k) program with immediately vested employer match
• Generous holiday and vacation policies
• Exclusive TCU perks such as employee loan and credit card discounts

Travis Credit Union is an Affirmative Action Employer.
EOE / Individuals with Disabilities / Veteran Status